Hope For The New Year

Three years ago, I picked up a drink after being in long term recovery and my life had spiraled out of control. Today I am sober by the grace of my higher power and the people that continue to support me and love me unconditionally. This has been a true gift of 2019! However, I am not going to go back and review my 2019, instead, I will put my intentions forward and focus on hope and what it might bring in the year ahead.

My life has been immersed in recovery for quite some time. I had a long and difficult journey to where I am today. I am so very grateful for this life and for sobriety. I have been given another chance and I am reminded so often that even when things get tough there is always hope for a better tomorrow!

And hope is not merely wishful thinking; it is much more than that. Hope is knowing and strongly believing that though one is in a desperate situation, things will improve. This faith and optimism have helped me gather enough courage to get through it all, keep trying, and continue moving forward. Life is constantly changing, just like the weather, no two days are alike. But with hope, the bad days get better, and the great days are proof that hope does work.

Recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder is so very painstaking. It has so many pieces to it. It’s not just putting down the drink. It’s learning a new way of life. It’s learning to take steps towards a better tomorrow. It’s growing new relationships and mending the old ones. It’s finding courage where there seems to be none. It’s facing life on life’s terms. It’s a journey sometimes one day at a time, one step at a time, or even one breath at a time. But little by little the days start adding up, good things start happening, and our attitude and outlook on life become more optimistic. We grow, we change, we experience all that sobriety can bring and hope is always there to carry us through it all.

So today, on this wonderful first day of 2020, I would like to share some quotes with you. These little paragraphs help me keep hope alive and set my intentions in a positive direction. I hope they can help you too!

So believe it.

Don’t waste another moment doubting or second-guessing what you know deep down inside you to be true. Live courageously and cast your fears aside. Open yourself up to the full spectrum of human experiences that are awaiting you and allow the spiritual essence that is present within us all to guide you. Ask your question sincerely and listen carefully for the reply. It will come. Let down the walls around your heart and love wholeheartedly. You will feel love and warmth greater than anything you’ve ever experienced. Say your prayer with unshakeable faith and wait for the answer. You will be blessed beyond your wildest dreams. You’re not crazy. Trust yourself. – Chris Assaad, The Daily Love

You can rise up from anything. You can completely reinvent yourself. Nothing is permanent. You’re not stuck. You have choices. You can think new thoughts. You can learn something new. You can create new habits. All that matters is that you decide today to believe in yourself! ~ Anonymous

Fucking Up

Hey sweethearts. A reminder: making mistakes in recovery/when you’re trying to quit drinking is not synonymous with going BACK somewhere or losing something. You can’t unlearn what you’ve learned, you can’t EVER undo the good you accumulate, you literally can’t go back in time to the person you were when you started. ~ Holly Glenn Whitaker – Hip Sobriety

Fear

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It’s not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. ~ Nelson Mandela and spiritual author Marianne Williamson

Cause sometimes you just feel tired, feel weak
And when you feel weak, you feel like you wanna just give up
But you gotta search within you
And gotta find that inner strength
And just pull that shit out of you
And get that motivation to not give up
And not be a quitter, no matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your face, and collapse ~ Anonymous

Love

It’s love. When we love messy people well, we start to love our messy selves more. And all that love makes us BRAVE. And eventually, Love beats fear. Love Wins. ~ Brené Brown

Happy Sober New Year! May this be your best year ever!

If you, or anyone you know, is struggling with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)*, please check out the Sober Courage menu at the top of this page for an extensive list of support groups and recovery related articles.

*Problem drinking that becomes severe is given the medical diagnosis of “alcohol use disorder” or AUD. AUD is a chronic relapsing brain disease characterized by compulsive alcohol use, loss of control over alcohol intake, and a negative emotional state when not using (Ref: NIAAA).

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11 Comments

Happy new year.
Thank you for sharing your story. My own year seems so similar to your past. I am sometimes surprised I am still sober after the horror of my own divorce, but I think I was almost to shell shocked this year to drink.
And now it’s over.